Where does the roe deer live?
The roe deer lives across almost all of Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, from Scotland to the Caucasus, and east as far as northern Iran. It is absent from northernmost Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland and the Mediterranean islands. It lives in varied habitats: woods, broadleaf or coniferous forests, copses and clearings. To rest it retreats to dense woodland, especially among conifers, or bramble scrub, but a hedgerow may be good enough.
What does the roe deer eat?
The roe deer is a small, agile and very fast deer, with a brownish coat and a greyish face, well adapted to cold environments. It has become the most common wild herbivorous mammal in forests in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere, thanks to hunting plans and feeding, and with no natural predators. It is more likely to be seen near forests it can retreat to.
Is the roe deer endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. In England and Wales its range expanded substantially in the latter half of the 20th century, and this continues in the 21st. Bucks in good condition develop antlers 20 to 25 cm long.
